Wales and Cheshire Region Practice Direction

When a Police Officer takes a statement from a potential witness who refers to injuries he or she has suffered as a result of the incident which the Police Officer is investigating, the Police Officer should ensure that the following information is obtained:

a) Details of any medical treatment which the witness received for those injuries and the date(s) or approximate date(s) upon which the treatment was received.

b) The name of the hospital, medical centre or surgery where the treatment was received and if possible, the name of the Doctor who administered it.

c) Whether or not the witness consents to the Police having access to the medical records relating to the injuries and treatment referred to for the purpose of any prosecution which may follow.

When a witness gives consent as set out in paragraph 1(c) above, the Police Officer who obtains a statement from a Doctor about the injuries suffered by the witness and the medical treatment administered to the witness should ask the Doctor for a photocopy of the relevant medical notes. This photocopy should be listed on the form MG6(d) (sensitive material).

A further photocopy of the notes from which sensitive information and information not relevant to the purposes for which the witness statement was given, will have been blanked out, will be listed on form MG6C (non sensitive material).

The kind of information which might be blanked out from such a photocopy might include the address of the patient, the name and address of the patient's general practitioner and any ancillary medical history of the patient. This list is not intended to limit the kind of information which might be blanked out.

His Honour Judge D Roderick Evans QC

December 1999

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